Defining Categories

submit to reddit

Arts of Cinema: There may at times be articles or posts that focus more on the construction of a film than specific psychological principles at work. Film is a visual experience and an art form, and it will sometimes be appreciated and analyzed as such here.

Best of Cinema: What constitute 'best' in such an interactive, subjective province like cinema? In some psychological research, when researchers investigate a phenomenon that can be interpreted multiple ways, they would first define it. As long as you operate under defined parameters, what you mean is clearly communicated, there's some kind of internal validity the readers can rely on. The best of cinema, to me, constitutes some of the followings:

- Achieves what it sets out to do, as evident by what can be pulled out of the picture and the effect on the viewer (me)
- The story, a performance, or the picture itself achieves a significant emotional impact on the viewer (me)
- Obvious craftsmanship, as intended (purposeful shaky cam, graininess included)
- Some attempt at originality, though this is not always required
Character study: Any biography or story focusing on a single character, fictional or real life icon, falls under this category. Also in this category are essays analyzing particular characters in a film, based on some psychological principle or theory.

Cognition:This term refers to the informational processing view of one's psychological functions in psychology. In layman terms, it refers to thoughts and thinking. It is currently the mainstream paradigm from which many psychology researchers and practitioners operate. Its usage here includes Metacognition, which refers to - in plain English - the process of thinking about thinking. Any film that deals with human thought process or inner narrative will be categorized under this heading.

DSM Disorders: This strictly refers to what the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) deems as mental disorders. Films that feature at least one main character dealing with at least one diagnosable disorder and the social and/or personal ramifications of having the disorder will be categorized under this heading.

English Subtitled: All films in which the majority of the dialogue is subtitled in English fall under this category. Most foreign films would qualify here, except for those made primarily in the English language.

Existential: In psychology, existentialism refers to a particular school of thought that deals with issues of existence and the meaning of life explicitly. It is a branch of humanist psychology. Films that question or address the process of being human and our role in the bigger picture will be categorized under this heading.

Film Comment: Reflecting on a film, many times through the lens of psychology. Spoilers are often included.

Film News: Upcoming releases, awards, box office notes, trailers.

Gender: This term refers to the social and psychological construct of the feminine and the masculine. It goes beyond the biology of being male and female, and into the realm of self-identity. As the field of psychology moves to position itself in a post-modern paradigm, questions regarding the binary nature of our sociopsychological constructs bring forth some gender role confusion - and in many cases, liberation. Any film that features gender role and identity as one of its main themes will be categorized under this heading. A film with gender-challenging roles may or may not be included under this category, depending on whether or not this theme is touched on in the film.

Horror: A film genre that emphasizes fear and disgust, and is particularly psychological in nature. Included in this category are: monster films, supernatural films, and psychological thrillers.

In Therapy: When therapy sessions and/or therapists are a major part of a film, the film will be categorized under this heading.

Intimate: Love, or intimate relationship, is considered one of the major life experiences and social engagements of human beings in many psychological theories. Films that deal with intimate issues - including sexuality, marital conflicts, and feelings of affection - will be categorized under this heading.

The List: An ongoing list of recommended films of various themes.

Social Relations: It is emphasized in many psychological theories (such as Adlerian Psychology, Critical Psychology, Cultural Psychology, Interpersonal Psychology, etc.) that human beings are social animals living within social systems and cultural contexts. The current movement is to situate the individual within his/her surrounding, and understand the individual as a whole. Social systems and our relationships within them help shape who we are. Any film that raises a concern about a social issue or examines a set of cultural interactions or a particular structural system will be categorized under this heading. This will include media and politics, as they are major areas of our social relations.

Substance Abuse: According to the DSM-IV-TR, there's a difference between substance abuse and substance dependence, with the latter's possible tolerance/withdrawal symptoms not present in the former category. However, for the purpose of this site, any film in which some characters are involved in excessive use of drugs that lead to dysfunction fall under this category.

Truth and Fiction: Articles discussing specific details presented in a film with regards to its relations to the off-screen world. Do they actually exist in real life? In which context do they unfold? What is the current understanding of an issue or a specific detail presented in the film?

Updates: Site news and announcement. Discussion of feedback would likely be included in this category.

Read More...

No Response to "Defining Categories"

 

Recently Seen (out of *****)

  • One night in Miami (King, 2020) ***
  • Mank (Fincher, 2020) ***1/2
  • Coming 2 America (Brewer, 2021) **1/2
  • Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Wolfe, 2020) ***1/2
  • I care a lot (Blakeson, 2020) **

Copyright © 2016 Cinema Psychologia All rights reserved.
Converted To Blogger Template by Anshul Theme By- WooThemes